Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-08-05
a BRAZILIAN BALL.
The uon Smoke Cigarettes and Keep
Thor Hats On.

inc Exon NhAeht cigarettes anu Keep
Tholr Hats On.
A kind of ball at the Colonia Thereza
village, situated IN fertile region, yet
stagCaut from lack OF communication
With the outer world, Is thus described
ION entering the house at which the en-
tertainment was TO be held We Immediately
found ourselves in large mud floor room,
ranged round the walls of which were all
the youth and beauth Of the village smart
~ dressed IN clean cotton prints, all evi.
IDENTIFY got up for the occasion. In the
center OF the room, which was bare of
furniture, the young men of the village, 10
the number OF about two dozen, were
grouped together, chatting and smoking
cisaIettas, with their hats on their heads, To
all appearances utterly obliyious OF the
presence OF the ladies. Our entry seemed
to be the signal for the commencement OF
the entertainment. Two banjOs struck up,
and now, for the first time, the men began
70 turn their attention to the demure but
conscious looking maldens who had, UP TO
the present moment, been silently await
ingslhClr pleasure. one by one each man
chose partner I'LL ten couples were made
up. These ten couples now formed a
circle IN the middle Of the room and the
dance commenced.
with the slow and rhythmic beat the
men first began 10 keep time TO the ban
lOCs, alternately advancing toward and re-
tlring from the center OF the ring, the
women also stamping With their fc {, but
not advancing. At The end of each dozen
bars or So OF the music, all with one ac-
cord, both men and women, gave three
loud claps of The hands, which was the
signal for the moment of "a greater display
ol energy i'm the movements OF the body,
and more vigorous stamping OF the feet
upon the hard mud lloor. All 40 once one
OK the men dancers, in "a rich full voice,
struck up an '.mpTomptu' stalZa in beau
uiul time and harmony with the music,
the last words OF which were taken up
and repeated in chorus by all once more
vocal silence while the mOnotOnous tum,
tum, tum of the banj0cs and the noise OF
the stamping OF feet went on as before
Then. again, second wild impromptu
stauZa burst forth from another OF the
dancers, again 10 be taken up in chorus
by all. We observed on each oil these oc-
CusiUus that the dancers all turned their
eyes upon US, as though wc were the per.
son, they were addressing. Vi e personally
found this TO be the case, one OF our in
tCTpICtCIs, who was present, coming up
yited 10 Join the dance. Nothing loqth,
SIC each chose Il willing dausal from the
still uucXhaustcd row of Wallllowcrs. and
joined the uuiiriuy ring in The middle OF
The room.
During what seemed iuturninablc min
u,cs We, too, Aad now to beat our feet
upon the hard floor, swing our arms and
bodies, and clap our hands. rs the dance
went on the excitement NaAcd stronger,
the jmpromptu' shouts become yclls, the
once graceful sWaying of the bodies OF the
performers was changed into violent con-
.ortiOus, and all tAc characteristics OF
North American Indian war dance came
into play. The atmosphere of Tic room
was iul of The suoAcol cigarettes, through
which the dim bccsVuX taper, here and
there stuck upon the face of the walls
around cas-, .urid glaze Soon the music
ceased; the tired finger, of the miustrci,
had given way 40 la,t and thc dance ab.
ruptly cam. To- a conclusion.